Friday, August 17, 2007

Not-So-Hot Corner

For many years the Mets were famous, or infamous, for being unable to find a regular and reliable third baseman. With David Wright, the Mets have found a player who can, it is hoped be a fixture at third for many years, and the franchise's old reputation for mediocre third basmenwill finally be dead for good. From a statistical point of view, the Mets' unchallenged propensity for using multiple third basemen may also finally be about to succumb to changing times.

In 1962, the Mets used 9 players at third base, more than any other team in the majors that season (the expansion teams in LA and Houston used 8 third basemen). By the end of 1963, the Mets had used 16 different men at third in their two-year-long history, again more than any one else, two more than Houston and eight more than any non-expansion team, over that same two year period.

You can look at the figures after every single year since then and in every case the Mets have always been the baseball franchises that has used the most third basemen used since 1962. Here are the teams who used the most third basemen since 1962 as of the end of each decade:

After 1969, the Mets had used 41 third basemen since 1962; in a second place tie were Houston and the Dodgers, who had each then used 28 third basemen since 1962.

After 1979, the Mets had used 63 third basemen since 1962; in second place were the A's, who had then used 56 third basemen since 1962.

After 1989, the Mets had used 87 third basemen since 1962; in second place were the Angels, who had then used 83 third basemen since 1962.

After 1999, the Mets had used 117 third basemen since 1962; in second place were the Angels, who had then used 115 third basemen since 1962 (now only two behind the Mets).

As of now, the Mets have used 135 third basemen since 1962; in second place are still the Angels, who have used 134 third basemen since 1962 (now only one behind the Mets). With the Mets and Angels now extremely close in this respect, and with David Wright firmly ensconced at third, it seems likely that the Mets may soon, finally, lose the dubious distinction of being the franchise that has used the most third basemen going back to the 1962.